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Soaring Above the Storm NOV/DEC 2010EDWJextra Every Day with Jesus group resource

www.cwr.org.uk/edwjextra

Session 1: The rollercoaster of life 1—10 Nov

IcebreAker

Life has been described as a rollercoaster with

all of its ups and downs. To what extent do you

agree or disagree with this philosophy?

key thought

Almost everyone experiences problems and

adversity. Christians are not exempt but can

often be confused because of their inadequate

view of suffering.

key verSe

‘My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?

Why are you so far from saving me, so far from

the words of my groaning?’ Psalm 22:1

DIScuSSIoN StArterS

1. Why may Christians have an inadequate

view of suffering and adversity?

2. How has Scripture helped you cope

with adversity?

3. How can we be satisfied when there is no

satisfactory explanation?

4. What is the difference between optimism

and faith?

5. Why may adversity not be an adverse

experience?

6. Why may people react differently to the

same event?

7. Why may righteous and unrighteous people

suffer equally?

8. Could a miracle be defined as a suspension

of natural law?

9. Consider the subject of martyrdom and a

God of deliverance.

10. How might people carry their faith as a

talisman?

the exAmple of JeSuS

‘He was despised and rejected by men, a man

of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like

one from whom men hide their faces he was

despised, and we esteemed him not.’ Isaiah 53:3

prAyer poINterS

• Pray for wisdom and revelation as we study

this difficult but important subject.

• Pray for those experiencing adversity.

Session 2: Light in our darkness 11—18 Nov

IcebreAker

Describe a time when God has helped you

through an adversity.

key thought

We must be clear that there is no automatic

causal link between adversity and sin.

Suffering and adversity are not inconsistent

with the fact of God’s love.

key verSeS

‘When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said,

“I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me

will never walk in darkness, but will have the

light of life.”’ John 8:12

‘For it is commendable if a man bears up under

the pain of unjust suffering because he is

conscious of God.’ 1 Peter 2:19

DIScuSSIoN StArterS

1. Why do we think there may always be causal

links between adversity and sin?

2. Why do we ask the wrong questions?

3. How can we turn setbacks into

springboards?

4. If it is impossible to answer every problem,

why do we still attempt solutions?

5. How would you offer comfort to a bereaved

friend?

6. Why may love embrace suffering rather

than exclude it?

7. Why may Rabbi Kushner’s view appeal to

many people?

8. What evidence do we have today that God is

still all-powerful?


‘Jesus wept.’ John 11:35

prAyer poINterS

• Pray the Lord’s Prayer from Matthew 6 in a

version such as NKJV, to include ‘the kingdom

and the power and the glory’.

• Ask for wisdom to comfort those in adversity.



Session 4: The university of adversity 26—30 Nov

IcebreAker

To what extent do you agree with the

metaphorical proverb ‘You can’t make an

omelette without breaking eggs’?

key thought

Some of the greatest lessons and advances we

make in life are those which come out

of suffering.

key verSe

‘But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for

you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”

Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about

my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest

on me … For when I am weak, then I am strong.’

2 Corinthians 12:9—10

DIScuSSIoN StArterS

1. What has the university of adversity

taught you?

2. How could you replicate the role of

Mordecai in your world?

3. Contrast the reactions of Saul and David in

1 Samuel 18:5—11 and 24:1—12.

4. Why do our shells of behaviour sometimes

need breaking?

5. Give examples of the ‘theology of reversal’.


‘Although he was a son, he learned obedience

from what he suffered …’ Hebrews 5:8

prAyer poINterS

• Pray that God will turn your weaknesses and

adversities to strengths and opportunities to

minister to others.

• Ask God to lead you to those orphans, widows

and ‘have nots’ who you could come alongside

and encourage.

IcebreAker

Describe how some of your pains have resulted

in pleasure — eg dieting, saving for something

special, studying for qualifications, exercise to

get fit etc.

key thoughtS

God made us free, and it is man’s choices rather

than God’s that resulted in a fallen world of

pain, thorns and death (see Gen. 2:16—17, 3:17—19).

There is a universal principle that whatever

has the potential for pleasure has an equal and

opposite potential for pain.

key verSe

‘Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and

perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before

him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and

sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.’

Hebrews 12:2

DIScuSSIoN StArterS

1. Should God have created us with an inability

to disobey Him?

2. How has God turned an adversity to good in

your own life?

3. Discuss the Queen’s comment after the

terrorist attacks of 9/11 in America: ‘The

pain of grief is the price we pay for love.’

4. How do our own emotions both reflect and

differ from God’s emotions?

5. Why do marathon runners endure such

pains of training and competing?

6. How may snow and ice (or other life events)

bring both pleasure and pain?

7. To what extent do you agree or disagree

with the quotes of Wald, Socrates

and Augustine?


‘… my joy …’ John 15:11

‘My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the

point of death …’ Mark 14:34

prAyer poINterS

• Pray for fully functioning emotions and that

you will not be so afraid of pain that you no

longer experience real pleasure.

• Give thanks for the times when God has turned

adversity to good in your own life.

Session 3: Pleasure and pain 19—25 Nov



IcebreAker

A relational rather than a theological

icebreaker: What are your plans for Christmas

(including shopping and sending cards)?

key thought

We need to focus on God as He is and not as we

would like Him to be, because He is committed

to running the world to His agenda and not

to ours.

key verSe

‘To whom, then, will you compare God? What

image will you compare him to?’ Isaiah 40:18

DIScuSSIoN StArterS

1. Why do people want a God to serve them

rather than want a God they can serve?

2. How can our relationship with God

become stale and how can we maintain its

freshness?

3. How may ‘demandingness’ reveal itself?

4. Why should we cry for mercy before we cry

for help?

5. Why should God’s glory be our first interest

when we are in trouble?


‘… I have come to do your will, O God.’

Hebrews 10:7

prAyer poINterS

• Confess any self-centredness and

‘demandingness’.

• Tell God that you have come to do His will and

work to His agenda, not your own.

Session 5: God-centredness 1—5 Dec Session 6: Remember 6—10 Dec

IcebreAker

Play Kim’s Game to emphasise the role of

memory. Many small objects are placed on

a tray and covered by a cloth. The cloth is

removed for one minute before re-covering the

items. Wait a further minute, and then people

should write down all the articles they can

remember. Give the person who remembers the

most a bar of chocolate (from the tray!).

key thought

Don’t forget in the darkness what you have

learned in the light.

key verSe

‘Remember the former things, those of long

ago; I am God, there is no other; I am God, and

there is none like me.’ Isaiah 46:9

DIScuSSIoN StArterS

1. Why may communion be important to

our faith?

2. How do we lose perspective and how can we

keep it?

3. Are you an Easter Saturday Christian or an

Easter Sunday Christian?

4. How can we cope with disturbed emotions?

5. Discuss Tozer’s quote, ‘Always learn to judge

the future by the past’.


‘Do you still not understand? Don’t you

remember the five loaves for the five thousand,

and how many basketfuls you gathered?’

Matthew 16:9

prAyer poINterS

• Ask God to help in your reading, meditation

and memorising of Scripture.

• Ask God to fill you with the same Spirit that

raised Christ from the dead (see Rom. 8:11).



IcebreAker

Give an example of when you have felt irritated

or angry — eg after receiving a parking ticket,

when dealing with unhelpful people, in a traffic

jam, listening to someone else’s mobile phone

ringtone etc. Are you a person who vents their

emotions or bottles them up?

key thought

Be willing to admit to any disappointment or

confusion that may arise or those feelings will

be internalised and wreak havoc in your system.

key verSeS

‘When I kept silent, my bones wasted away

through my groaning all day long.’ Psalm 32:3

‘“In your anger do not sin”: Do not let the sun go

down while you are still angry, and do not give

the devil a foothold.’ Ephesians 4:26—27

DIScuSSIoN StArterS

1. Is it unspiritual to be negative?

2. How do you deal with negative emotions?

3. How does controlling emotions differ from

repressing or suppressing them?

4. Why does anger arise and how can it

be controlled?

5. Why should we be careful when making

friendships with emotional people? (See

Prov. 22:24—25.)


‘Then He said to them, My soul is very sad and

deeply grieved, so that I am almost dying of

sorrow.’ Matthew 26:38 (Amplified)

prAyer poINterS

• Confess any disappointments with God.

• Ask God to help you handle emotions properly,

in accordance with Scripture.

Session 8: Jesus is God wearing our flesh 16—25 Dec

IcebreAker

What do you most like and dislike about

Christmas? Which is your favourite carol?

key thoughtS

If I cannot avoid adversity, I will, with God’s help,

seek to use it for good.

God does not simply ask us how we feel; He

knows exactly how we feel because in Jesus He

has been in our condition.

key verSe

‘For we do not have a high priest who is unable

to sympathise with our weaknesses, but we

have one who has been tempted in every way,

just as we are — yet was without sin.’

Hebrews 4:15

DIScuSSIoN StArterS

1. Have you ever used apparently purposeless

pain that God has allowed into your life?

2. How can we guide our pains to fruitfulness?

(Consider John 15:2.)

3. Explain your own views on healing based on

your understanding of the Bible.

4. Why may identical experiences produce

different characters?

5. How can we thrive on difficulties?

6. How do the life and experiences of Jesus

reveal what God is truly like?

7. Why is it impossible to believe in an

uncaring God?

8. How should we speak to others about

suffering?

9. Why may we feel God does not hear

our prayers?

10. What may be the modern equivalent of

washing a person’s feet?


‘During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, he

offered up prayers and petitions with loud

cries and tears to the one who could save him

from death, and he was heard because of his

reverent submission.’ Hebrews 5:7

prAyer poINterS

• Thank God for sending His Son, thank Jesus

that He came and thank the Holy Spirit for new

life in Him.

• Pray that others will experience Christ at

Christmas and receive His life, comfort

and strength.

Session 7: Being honest about our feelings 11—15 Dec



Session 9: Just passing through 26—31 Dec

IcebreAkerS

What did you receive for Christmas?

Contrast a holiday-maker and a resident in a

tourist resort.

key thought

As a Christian, this world is not our home, we

are simply passing through.

key verSeS

‘But our citizenship is in heaven.’

Philippians 3:20

‘… they admitted that they were aliens and

strangers on earth … Instead, they were longing

for a better country — a heavenly one.’

Hebrews 11:13, 16

DIScuSSIoN StArterS

1. In what sense are Christians aliens?

2. How can our perfect future impact our

imperfect present?

3. What is the difference between groaning

and moaning?

4. What tension is revealed by the phrase from

the Lord’s Prayer ‘on earth as it is

in heaven’.

5. Describe your concept of heaven.

6. Review the ten attitudes.

7. What has impacted you most from

our studies and how will you change

as a result?


‘Jesus knew that … he had come from God

and was returning to God …’ John 13:3

‘They are not of the world, even as I am not

of it.’ John 17:16

prAyer poINterS

• Pray that our perspective of eternity

will overrule our perspective of time.

• Pray that you will learn and apply the ten

attitudes so you can soar above the storm

of adversity.

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